Elaine came by monthly. She called it therapy, but it was so much more than that. She asked a lot about them leaving this place. She needed to know who she could save and who was too far gone. She needed information from them so she could save the others. W-17-D, among a couple of others, showed promising signs. They wanted to leave. They wanted to see the sun, they wanted to feel the grass, they wanted to go somewhere where they didn't have to do experiments and survive. That, she would give them... When the time was right.
"You won't tell anyone, right?" The first time was always the hardest. Elaine had been all across the world, meeting other Series and trying to shut them down. Finding children as old as W-17-D who didn't have Stockholm syndrome was hard to come by. The boy was special. "I won't tell a soul, 17." She promised the almost adult. He relaxed a little, his ears folding back uneasily as he retreated to his bed on canid paws. He was very special indeed.Another promising one was W-35-T. W-35-T was a 12-year-old colored boy with poofy chocolate hair, pointed ears, and sharp hazel eyes. His nose had unfortunately started to take on a wolfish shape, rounded with large nostrils for tracking. It was a lot more sensitive than most of the others his age. His back teeth had started to sharpen, as well as his nails. Despite this, he was a pretty bright and bubbly boy who wanted to go home to his parents.The other was W-03-Z. She was the youngest at 5 years old. She hardly showed any animalistic features but wild green eyes, claws, and her abnormally long tongue. Oftentimes, it would stick out. Her skin was as pale as the others who had never seen the sun, and her raven hair was messy. She was quiet and shy, but she liked to listen to Elaine. She wanted to go home to her mother and father and twin brother.Elaine was going to bring these kids home.Elaine left the building with her notes on the 644 remaining children in the facility. The W Series was such a depressing place. It was no wonder they needed a "therapist" there to help those kids out. All the trauma they'd been going through and halls A through E couldn't even remember anything about their time before the facility. The government may have to keep them in custody for the remainder of their lives, which was also likely cut short due to the experiments they'd been through. They'd probably only live to their fifties.She went home to where her husband was waiting. Took her shoes off at the door and went to her home office to set down the files. "Is that my wife I finally hear home?" She heard her husband call out. "No, just a dog of the government!" She replied back as she let her hair down. She headed to her room where her husband must have just gotten home, seeing as he was changing out of his own police uniform. "Well, well, Detective Moore~, how was work?" The man shrugged. "Same old, same old. Took down some drug smugglers. And you, Agent Moore? How's your secret mission?""Still a secret and still a mission," Elaine replied simply. "Details will come out if I can finish this right, but for now, it's hush-hush." The detective hugged his wife and kissed her temple. "I understand, and I know you can do it, baby. You got this." She smiled up at her lover. "Thank you, Jon."Jon and Elaine were busy people, naturally. With him as a detective, he was gone all hours of the day and the night. Elaine was an agent of the government, working the dirty dealings of the States and around the world, things like the 'Series' that have been popping up. They hardly ever got a mundane night like tonight. A simple dinner, meatloaf that they made together. They talked about how things had been since they'd last had a moment like this.It was a very nice night.It was back to work the next day for both Jon and Elaine. She was at her desk now, flipping through the documents she'd collected on the three most likely candidates. Facial recognition wasn't working well for W-17-D. probably because of all the changes he'd gone through. Nothing was pinging on his actual identity. The only reason she'd known his age was because of the few records they allowed her to see on him. The other two were easier. W-35-T was Westley Tucker, who'd been kidnapped from Andover County six years back. W-03-Z was Tiffany Estes, who had only been there for about a year and was kidnapped from Milan County."Heeeey 007, how's the spy gig?" Richard Smith, Elaine's coworker and best friend, poked in. "I am not a spy." He huh'ed as he slipped in and peeked at her files from over her shoulder. "You are using a fake name to gather intelligence and take down bad guys. You are totally a spy." She tried not to get amused by his comment. "Is there a reason you are here, or are you the comic relief?" Richard snorted. "One of those? The kind of name is W-17-D anyway?""It's not a name at all. I just can't find anything on him." Richard made grabby hands. "Let your old pal Richie help you!" Elaine did smile this time and gave him W-17-D's file. He opened it eagerly only to flinch. "Oh damn, no wonder - that's a face only a mother could love -" Elaine punched him instantly. "Be nice! He's had it bad there..." Richard gave a small smile. "Yeah, ok, sorry. Look, I'll seriously see what I can get on this kid, but I am not calling him 'W-17-D' or whatever.""Deal, thanks, man."She dug more into Westley and Tiffany's homes. Westley's parents divorced about a year after losing their son. Probably couldn't make it work, blaming one or the other for not watching him. Who could've known that they were targeted, though? Who was really at fault then? Tiffany's parents moved out of state. They probably wanted to live somewhere where they knew their remaining child would be safer. Oh yes, a grandparent's house, ex-military from the dad's side. Wise choice. Couldn't be easy on the boy. Tyler Estes. When the day came, she wasn't looking forward to telling these families what their children had been kidnapped for. What they'd been subjected to. They were going to be devastated.Life was unfair.W-17-D was running laps with a few other hybrids. It was a test of speed and agility for them, but they were supposed to think of it as a game. He didn't think of it as a game. He just knew that the director himself asked for this test and the gym, and so he had to perform at his best, dodging obstacles that were put in his way as fast as he could. It felt natural to him, even though this was his first time. He knew that it was something deep, something instinctive. Something that he wasn't supposed to have, but had anyway. Whatever made the director happy.Michael was indeed very happy. W-17-D was by far his best product made yet. The boy was fast, smart, strong, and agaile, and he would sell for a hefty price when only fifty remained. The perfect combination of man and wolf, Michael was almost tempted to buy the boy himself as his guard dog. Eventually, when they were all sold, he would have to make more, and who better to show them their purpose and protect them than a former experi
W-17-D's heart was beating against his chest. He wasn't sure why, but he was anticipating... something. He knew something was coming. He could feel it, and it made him antsy. He had difficulty sleeping because of the instinct that told him he had to be ready. It had been two days now, and he was still alert and wired despite the lack of sleep. He stared tentavely at the door, expecting someone to go through it. He didn't hear anything, though, nor did he smell anyone approaching. He supposed it didn't matter, though. It was gonna happen. He knew it. He recognized the lavender perfume and the Chelsea boots as they approached. The doctor wasn't supposed to be here more than once a month, but her prescence was a welcome surprise... and what he assumed he'd been waiting for. W-17-D was already on his paws and opening the door for her. "You heard me coming, 17?" He nodded. "Are you taking me out?" Dr. Hughes paused before nodding. "We are going to the gymnasium." She replied. He nodded an
Elaine sighed. She knew she had to give him answers. She would, Wild deserved to know the truth. "Finish your dinner, and I'll tell you the truth behind why I was at the W Series Compound." She said slowly. Wild stared at her with his dull yellow eyes. Debating on if she was giving it to him straight. After a few moments, he turned away, helping Tiffany nibble away at her own pizza slices. Westley was down a slice and halfway through the other with the napkin covering his nose. "I am not actually a therapist, if you couldn't tell. That was just my cover." Elaine started slowly. "So what, you're like a spy or something?" Westley asked. "Or something. I am an agent. My real name is Elaine Moore." Wild thumped his tail against the chair bars. "You couldn't tell us because we would tell the others. You chose us because we wanted out." He deduced quietly. "Yes, exactly." She smiled at Wild. He didn't return it. "I wanna go home, lady. Can I go home?" Westley pleaded. "Soon, but not yet. Th
Wild's sleep was restless that night. It was a new territory, new sounds that made him jolt up despite the closed and locked door. He knew there were still people there despite the early hour, and he was on edge because of it. All in all, he didn't sleep too well. It didn't matter too much. He'd gone a few nights without sleep before as an experiment. At around 6:30, there was a knock on their door. Wild knew I was the man that was with Elaine yesterday. He'd said his name was Richard? Wild also knew he had something. Food was his guess. Despite the conversation he'd overheard about his appearance, Richard genuinely seemed to like him, so Wild got up to get the door.The offer was poptarts, the smores kind. Wild didn't know there was such thing as smores poptarts. He only knew what smores was from the books. "Gotta be honest, I wasn't really sure if you even ate human food with your wolfish appetite!" Wild rose a brow. "We can eat anything a human can." Richard made a show of wiping h
They'd been here a few weeks now. Elaine took them to see the sunset and the sunrise each day. Give the poor hybrids some sun. Elaine and Richard asked questions on occasion about what it was like there. Wild was more vague than the other two at first. He just wanted to be done with that place. Wild knew he would have to talk about it eventually, though. Eventually, he started to tell them about the schedule that he'd grown so accustomed to. How they were always in their rooms as they were now and about the gymnasium that acted as their outside time. Then, there were the experiments. He didn't say much about them other than "It hurts."Richard was doing card tricks with Westley and Tiffany. Wild was watching, but he was more interested in the people with Elaine. A couple with Westley's scent on them. It was very old. Another couple with a boy, all carrying Tiffany's scent. The last was a man, nearly ten years older than Wild. "I'm very glad we found you, Mr. Thatcher. I'm sure you alr
Wild missed the others. Elaine knew he missed Tiffany and Westley. She knew that he knew they belonged where they were. They weren't as far gone as he was. He couldn't quite go back into human society like those two. He knew, and so did Elaine, deep down. That's why she decided that he would be the one to help save the others. That was the initial plan anyway. Now that the news of the hybrids were out, that meant getting the police involved. Get Jon involved. She was going to have Jon and Wild meet. She would invite him tonight and bring him over tomorrow if he agreed. Elaine stopped by his room, where one of the other employees had brought him something new to read every few days or so. He preferred books over the TV. "Hey, I might be bringing someone over tomorrow, and he's going to ask questions about the facility and the experiments. Is that ok?" Wild looked up from his book. "If it's the first step to freeing the rest, I'll do it." Elaine nodded quietly, bidding Wild goodnight a
"Jonah, Michael, age 43, height 5'9", hair brunette, eyes green. CEO to Algam Industries Co. Pioneer to genetic modification technology. This dude here is your classic evil villain. He's got a lot of influence on our world and a lot of money to put us all in the ground. It's like if Tony Stark and Wilson Fisk had a baby. That's this guy." Jon arched an eyebrow at Richard. "Did you just do a Marvel comparison?" Richard grinned. "I'm not sorry." Elaine tried not to chuckle. "Boys, focus. How do we get evidence linking him to the W Series?" Richard chuckled nervously. "That's the million dollar question, isn't it? I couldn't tell you. His record is suspiciously clean. Not even a DWI as a teenager." Jon hummed. "Safe to say this is a classic case of the Oliver Queen." Richard grinned. "DC, niiiice." "Can we stop with the hero talk and use normal words?" Elaine requested. "One, Oliver Queen is a vigilante. Two, he's saying that it's possible his family is powerful enough to pay off the po
Wild got a new read today. The Incredible Journey is what it was called, and it was the story of two dogs and a cat trying to go home to their humans by crossing the Himalayan mountains. They faced many dangers and hardships, but eventually, they got home. It was a heartwarming story that Wild enjoyed while he waited for Elaine and Jon to get back to the facility. It was nothing like Call of the Wild or White Fang, but the kinship was much appreciated, so he liked it. It reminded him of his own kin that he was going to save, one way or another.Wild's nose twitched at the faint, fresh traces of Elaine's perfume. He sometimes wondered if she would ever switch it up or if she used the same scent on purpose, so he knew when she was coming. Either way, she was here now, hopefully setting up that waffle maker. He felt like he hadn't had waffles in forever. Wild boosted himself to his paws and left his room in favor of seeing if that was indeed what she was doing. As he drew closer, he pick